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THE SABBATH. 



SERMON 

DELIVEREB IN 

THE CITY OF WASHINGTON, 

BEFORE THE 

PRESBYTERY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 

B¥ JOHN a SMITH, 

Pastor of Bridge Street Church, Georgetown. 






PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF PRESBYTERY. 



Cr WASHINGTON: 

PRINTED BY JACOB GIDEON, JR. 

1835. 



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TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PRESBYTERY OF THE DISTRICT OF 

COLUMBIA. 

Mr Deab Brethren: 

Agreeably to the resolution adopted at our late stated meeting, I 
furnish a copy of my Sermon on "The Sabbath," delivered before Presbytery 
on the 6th instant. 

I have never in my life sought the honors of authorship, and would have 
shrunk from appearing in the character of an author now, had it not been for the 
reasons stated when the resolution was offered; believing with the respected and 
beloved brother who submitted it, that " something on this subject is needed 
amongst us," I consented to the publication of the Sermon; how fai* this will serve 
to throw light on this interesting and important subject each one will judge for 
himself. 

With sentiments of fraternal regard, 

I am dear brethren, 

Your fellow servant m Christ, 

JOHN C. SMITH. 
Georgetown, D. C. Oct. IQth, 1835. 



THE SABBATH. 



Genesis ir. 1, 2, 3 verses. — "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and 
all the host of them; and on the seventh day, God ended his work which he had 
made; and He rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made; 
and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he had 
rested from all his work which God created and made." 

In entering upon the consideration of the subject assigned me 
by my brethren of the Presbytery, I call your attention to the 
verses just read, as the Jirst of the scripture authorities for the ob- 
servance of one day in seven as a rest holy unto God. I'his day 
was blessed, was sanctified as a memorial of his finished work; it 
was set apart from the other days, because that in it he had rested 
from all his work. 

There are two very common and very popular objections to the 
Sabbath, which, because of their popularity, become highly dangerous 
to the best interests of man. I shall therefore take up these objections, 
and examine them in the light of scripture and reason. I do it the 
more readily, because they proceed not merely from the scoffer and 
the infidel, but from many who profcv^s to love our Lord Jesus 
Christ and revere the institutions of the Bible ; difficulties exist in 
many minds, while, perhaps, very few of us enjoy that clear light 
which God hath shed upon the subject. 

Your attention is called, not to a mere abstract truth — not to a 
discussion of some point in theology on which men differ, and on 
which they have a right to differ, but to a discussion of practical 
truth, of duty, in which the interests of souls are involved: tbis is 
a subject of VITAL importance to the church and to the world; shake 
the foundation on which the Sabbath rests, and you shake one of the 
pillars of God's throne; establish this, and you have a point from 
which is radiated the light of Heaven. But to the objections : Men 
say that the Sabbath day is not now to be observed, because it was 
a mere Jewish institution; that when the ceremonial law was abro- 
gated, this being a part of that law, was abrogated with it; this is 
very specious, exceedingly plausible, but as untrue and profane as 
it is specious or plausible, and it were sufficient, with every candid 
mind, that wc meet this objection with the passage of scripture 
under consideration. Where were the Jewish statutes when, *'on 



the seventh da\', God ended his vvork which he h.ad made," and 
when he blessed and sanctified this day? The first Sabbath was 
the seventh day of tinae; God has closely connected it with the 
creation days; He, himself, then instituted it, and blessed and sanc- 
tified it. The Sabbath, a mere Jewish statute ! — when were these 
statutes enacted ? Go consult any chronological table, and learn from 
that table, that more than 2500 years from the creation had elapsed 
ere Moses received his commission at the burning bush; — and was 
there no dav of rest for man or beast, — no Sabbath for the soul till 
on Mount Sinai God said " Remember the Sabbath day to keep it 
holy?'^ — how can man dare thus to speak? But we are not left to 
conjecture on this subject, nor do we appeal to the benevolence of 
God to sustain our views. We meet the objection face to face, 
and oppose the statements of man with the truth of God. The ob- 
jection, when analysed, means that there was no Sabbath till the 
Mosaic code was enacted. 

The following scriptures shew how false such assertions are : 
Refer to the 4th chap, of Genesis, 3d verse, — '^and in process of time, 
(see the marginal translation in your family bibles, "and at the end 
of days,'^) it came to pass that Cain brought, of the fruit of the 
ground, an offering unto the Lord." Sth chap, of Genesis, 8 to 12 
verses : — When Noah sends forth the dove, which, finding no rest, 
returned to him; ^* and he stayed yet other seven days, and again 
he sent forth the dove out of the ark, and the dove came in to him 
in the evening, — and lo! in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off. 
So Xoah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth, and 
he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove, which re- 
turned not again unto him any more." The object of these re- 
ferences is to show that, as early as these periods, they computed 
time by seven days. 

Again, — In the 1 6th chap, of the Book of Exodus, while the 
Hebrews were in the wilderness, and before they had been assem- 
bled around Mount Sinai, the Sabbath was observed, ** And it came 
to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, 
two omers for one man, and all the rulers of the congregation 
came and told Moses; and he said unto them, this is that which the 
Lord hath said : to-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the 
Lord; bake that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe that ye will 
seethe, and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept 
until the morning; and they laid it up till the morning as Moses 
bade, and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein ; and 



Moses said, eat that to-day, for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord; 
to-day ye shall not find it in the field: six days ye shall gather it; 
but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be 
none; and it came to pass that there went out some of the people on 
the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the Lord 
said unto Moses, how long refuse ye to keep my commandments 
aiid my laws? See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, 
therefore he giveth you, on the sixth day, the bread of two days; 
abide ye, every man, in his place, — let no man go out of his place 
on the seventh day; so the people rested on the seventh day.^' 

Let us refer to the statutes themselves, and see if the decalogue 
was delivered in the form in which the people were accustomed to 
receive their laws; — was there nothing remarkable, nothing extra- 
ordinary in the delivery of these ten commandments? In all laws 
relating to the Hebrews as a people, the expression is, " the Lord 
said unto Moses;" but when the law of the Sabbath was proclaimed, 
" there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the 
Mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the 
people that was in the camp trembled, and Mount Sinai was alto- 
gether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire, and 
the smoke thereof descended as the smoke of a furnace, and the 
whole Mount quaked greatly ; and when the voice of the trumpet 
sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God 
answered him by a voice, and God spake all these words." 
How difierent from mere Jewish statutes ! The Sabbath is God's 
law; — God's law for all men. 

For the purpose of meeting and refuting the arguments on this 
subject, I will admit, for the time being, that the Sabbath was not 
known until the law was promulged on Mount Sinai. I ask, does 
the abrogation of the law of the Sabbath necessarily follow, because 
the observance of it was then, for ih^Jirst time, required? Nothing 
is gained by objectors in reiterating their assertion, that the Sabbath 
is a mere Jewish statute. The question is, — is this day of per- 
petual obligation? The answer depends not upon the time of en act- 
m,enty but upon a subsequent repeal or counter enactment : this re- 
peal I demand from those who maintain that the Sabbath is not of 
perpetual, universal obligation; it is not found in the Bible. This 
is not all. I ask, — whence is human legislation? On what do men 
base their code of morals? — Is it not on these ten commandments? 
Why do men punish the murderer — the thief? Because God hath 
said, "thou shalt not kill" — "thou shalt not steal." Is not the 



6 

\ 

command — ^* remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," one of 
the ten? Are the sixth and the eighth now laws of God, and the 
fourth not? Who does not see the folly of attempting to set aside 
this blessed institution by such wretched sophistry, such miserable 
subterfuge ! Beware, man ! lest you touch the apple of God's eye! 
The second objection is in the change of the day from the 
SEVENTH to the FIRST. Those who make this objection, have at- 
tempted to dress it in the form of an" argument. Thus: God re- 
quires us to keep the seventh day; the first is kept under the gospel: 
therefore, there is no obligation to keep any day. — Wonderful ! A 
few years since, a committee in Congress sent forth a report on this 
subject, which was spread far and wide. Over this report there was 
much joy, — no doubt others, beside wicked men, rejoiced. Oh! 
my country — my country! — but I forbear. 

This change of the day has perplexed many ; some of whom are 
amongst those who love and obey the truth: for their sake, for the 
sake of the truth, and as an admonition to all who " hold the truth 
in unrighteousness," I will notice this objection. At present I shall 
consider it as an objection ; the reasons for the change I will furnish 
in another part of the discourse. 

Those who make this objection, assume the position that we, in 
numbering our days, follow the precise order in which the world 
was created; that God did begin to give form to the Chaotic mass, 
on what we call, and profanely call, Sunday; that this was the first 
day, and that, therefore, no day can be observed as the Sabbath but 
our Saturday. This no man can prove; no man can prove that the 
day on which the manna fell not, or that the day which the Hebrews 
kept, was the very day, and in the same order as that on which God 
rested from his work; and until that can be proved, the whole is 
assumption, and nothing more. 

Again, — We are told, in the spirit of this objection, that it is im- 
possible to observe the same appointed day every where; for, of two 
vessels circumnavigating the globe, one will lose, and the other will 
gain, a day, and that therefore the day could not have been ap- 
pointed as a law for the family of man. How imposing! Sinful 
man hath indeed sought out many inventions; nor is the wretched art 
of evading the obligation of God's law among the least of his quali- 
fications. The objection itself I meet with a few words : The com- 
mand is, that a seventh portion of our time shall be set apart as a 
season of rest, but the precise period, from which time is reckoned, 
is not named, had no change been contemplated, perhaps the case 



would have been different; the obligations of men in this, however, 
do not arise out of, nor do they depend on any particular day, as the 
seventh or first; nor are they released from these, because, in a 
change of places, they may gain or lose a day. If the observance 
of the Sabbath depended upon these, then the mistakes of men, the 
corrections necessary in our computation of time, would soon de- 
stroy this blessed institution. Old style and new style would be 
potent arguments indeed ! More might be said in answer to these 
objections, but as they will be kept in view throughout the discourse, 
I shall, for the present, leave them. 

From what has been already said, it is evident that the Sabbath 
is a day in the calendar of God, and therefore, that man can no more 
blot it out than he can dethrone the Most High himself. Both 
would be gladly done ; this poor, puny thing, called " man," has 
already made mighty efforts to expunge the one and destroy the 
other. ^*He that sits in Heaven shall laugh ; the Lord will hold 
them in derision." 

The history of the creation is, that ^*in six days the Lord made 
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the 
seventh day." Now, why should God, the Omnipotent Creator, 
employ six days in the creation of a world, when he could have 
done it in a moment, — with one word; yea, withdut a word. Why 
could not that voice, which said, **let there be light, and there was 
light," have spoken the world into being? and then, why should he 
rest on the seventh day ? Was he weary with his labors ? Did he 
become fatigued as man becometh fatigued ? To make this assertion, 
is to make him like ourselves. '<Hast thou not known; hast thou 
not heard, that the Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the 
ends of the Earth, fainteth not, neither is weary ?" But the ques- 
tion recurs, why should he rest? Fatigued he could not have been, 
then, why should he rest ? He had finished his work, and therefore, 
he ceased to create : but this does not explain the observance of this 
seventh day. Our answer is: this world was made for man ; adapt- 
ed to his use; he was made lord of this creation; all that Jehovah 
did " was good," and designed to promote the happiness of this his 
noblest creature. Hence this rest of the seventh day. In this day 
we have " the memorial" of the finished work of God, and a rest 
for man. That this was the object of this institution is plain, from 
scripture and reason, and if we have not greatly mistaken the subject, 
we shall find in man now a necessity for this rest. Now if this can 
be shown, then hare we established an important truth, and thus 



8 

exhibit the wisdom, the benevolence of God. Does the body of 
man require rest? Let the night answer, — for whom does she 
let fall her curtains? For the wearied, — and wherefore? That man 
may enjoy repose ; that she may refresh and invigorate and fit him 
for the duties of the succeeding day; but night of herself, is not 
enough, man encroaches upon this period, and by artificial means, 
cheats her and himself of this wise, this gracious provision; or even 
were there no encroachment here, man needs something more than 
the hours of night; and therefore, to meet his necessities, God 
throws in the seventh portion of his time as a day of rest. Touching 
this subject, I ofier the testimony of Dr. Farre, as given in an examina- 
tion before a committee of the British House of Commons, pub- 
lished in this country about two years since. He had been in the 
practice of medicine between 30 and 40 years. What I here pre- 
sent is only an extract: " As a day of rest, I view it as a day of 
compensation for the inadequate restorative power of the body, under 
continued labor and excitement. A physician always has respect to 
the preservation of the restorative power, because if once this be 
lost, his healing office is at an end. If I shew you, from the phy- 
siological view of the question, that there are provisions in the laws 
of nature, you will see from the analogy, that the Sabbath was made 
for man as a necessary appointment. A physician is anxious to 
preserve the balance of circulation as necessary to the restorative 
power of the body. The ordinary exertion of man runs down the 
circulation every day of his life; and the first general law of nature, 
by which God, who is not only the giver, but also the preserver 
and sustainer of life, prevents man from destroying himself, is the 
alternating of day with nightj that repose may succeed action. But 
although the night apparently equalizes the circulation well, yet it 
does not sufficiently restore its balance for the attainment of a long 
life; hence, one day in seven, by the bounty of Providence, is 
thrown in as a day of compensation, to perfect by its repose the animal 
system. You may easily determine this question as a matter of 
fact, by trying it on beasts of burden. I consider, therefore, that, 
in the bountiful provision of Providence, for the preservation of 
human life, the Sabbatical appointment is to be viewed and num- 
bered among the natural duties, if the preservation of life be ad- 
mitted to be a duty, and the premature destruction of it a suicidal 
act." 

I adduce this testimony, because it is the most convenient at the 
present moment. More might be ofiered equally strong and per- 



tinent from other sources, but our limits will not permit, pleasant and 
profitable as it would be, to pursue this view of the subject further; 
we must pause. Sufficient, however, I trust, has been said to con- 
vince all, that a seventh has been appointed as a day of rest, and 
that the necessity to observe it now, is the same as it ever was. 

Thus far we have viewed the Sabbath as designed merely to 
meet the physical necessities of man, — the remarks apply with equal 
force to the brute creation 5 if our remarks be true, then the same 
necessity for a day of rest, that is found in man, will be found also 
in them ; — doth God take care for oxen? — and hath he, indeed, 
made provision for the beasts of the field ? What saith the com- 
mandment? *^ Thou shalt not work; thou, nor thy son, nor thy 
daughter, nor thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cat- 
//e;" — but I refrain, and return to the day. 

Having shown the necessity for this rest, — that its institution is 

of God and not of man, — let us now inquire as to *^ the day" when 

it is to be kept. The Jews kept the seventh day, ''because that 

in it God had rested from all his work," and because that was the 

greatest event then before the mind of man, and, as such, should be 

celebrated by all on ''the footstool." But if something more 

glorious than the creation of the world have taken place, and that 

on another day than the seventh^ we are not to be surprized if we 

find a change in the day, from the seventh to that day. That 

such an event has transpired, beloved friends and brethren, I need 

scarcely say to you, who are conversant with your bibles: — 

" 'Twas gi'eat to make a world from nought; 
" 'Twas greater to redeem." 

A change in the day has taken place from the seventh to ihe first 
day of the week. I would here take occasion to remark, that a 
change does not necessarily affect the nature and objects of the day : 
for, as I have before observed, the day is only the time appointed 
in which men are to celebrate the events that have transpired. Our 
authority for this change is often demanded with an air of vast im- 
portance and bold defiance: this I shall furnish in due time. I 
acknowledge that I cannot lay my finger upon the passage, — the com- 
mand, " remember the first day to keep it holy," and I challenge 
the world to produce the command, " remember the seventh day 
to keep it holy;" the fourth commandment is, "remember the 
Sabbath day to keep it holy ;" and this is the legislation of God 
for all men, in all ages, in all countries. But we are told there is 
no command under the gospel dispensation, tliat we should keep 



10 

holy this day: To this I reply, that it was altogether unnecessary; 
the command once issued were enough, — no new commandment was 
required, — the Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy, but to con- 
firm, fulfil, establish the law. 

For the change of the day, we will furnish a part of our authori- 
ty — and for this we will go directly to the Bible, **to the law and 
to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is be- 
cause there is no truth in them." This change was a subject of 
thought and prophecy in the times of David, we hear the royal sing- 
er in the llSth Psalm **I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me 
and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders re- 
fused is become the headstone of the corner, this is the Lord's do- 
ing; it is marvellous in our eyes, this is the day which the Lord 
hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." The stone here 
spoken of is the Lord Jesus Christ; the appellation is six times given 
him in the scriptures. He was rejected of the builders when he was 
put to death; he was made the head of the corner when he rose trium- 
phant from the dead; how close is the connexion between his resur- 
rection and "the day of the Lord," none can for a moment look at 
the passage and not feel that even then the Psalmist saw ''the day^^ 
and was glad. Jesus rose on the first day of the week; was this 
accident as some would call accident? away with such a thought. 
What are accidents? the term should not be found in the Christian's 
vocabulary. Did not Christ several times declare that he would be 
crucified and rise again on the third day, and did he not rise again 
*^ according to the scriptures." How glorious was this day! twice 
had the sun gone down and all was still and silent at the sepulchre; 
the guards stationed to prevent the disciples from stealing the body 
were at their posts, nothing but the measured tread of the Roman 
soldier broke in upon the solemn silence, "all's well" had scarcely 
been uttered when behold! there was a great earthquake: for the 
Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled 
back the stone from the door, and set upon it." Let the potsherds 
of the earth dash against the potsherds of the earth, but woe unto him 
that striveth with his maker! — the guards hastened from a spot so 
awful, so sacred, they were filled with fear. But why should we speak 
of them? we leave them to tell their story, and look upon the place 
'* where the Lord lay" — he is not there, he is risen from the dead 
and become the first fruits of them that slept. 

From the connexion in which the Psalmist has placed the resur- 
rection of the Lord Jesus, and "the day," we would be led to con- 



11 

elude that some special notice, some particular attention would be be- 
stowed on that day; let us examine and see if our conclusion be cor- 
rect. The glorious tidings were published on the first day. The 
appearances of the risen Saviour to his friends were on this day, 
first, at the sepulchre — second, as these pious women hastened to 
spread abroad the joyful intelligence, <* Jesus met them saying all 
hail!" — third, to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus; — 
fourth, *^the same day at evening, when the disciples were assem- 
bled came Jesus and stood in the midst of them." **And after 
eight days, again, his disciples were within and Thomas with them, 
then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst of 
them and said, peace be unto you." It is remarkable that they, af- 
ter eight days should assemble and that then, Jesus should appear 
again unto them, I repeat the question, was all this accident? this 
first of " the first days " was signally honored by our Lord and 
Master and shall not we honor that day, the most glorious in time? 
What associations does not this day bring home to the Christian ! 
We will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Again, — This day was honored by the descent of the Holy Spirit, 
" when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one 
accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as 
of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house ^here they were 
sitting, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, 
and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy 
Ghost." 

Again, — In the Acts of the Apostles, 20 chap. 6, 7 verses, we 
have this record, **and we sailed away from Phillippi, after the days 
of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days, where 
we abode seven days. And upon the first day of the week, when 
the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, 
ready to depart on the morrow." In his first epistle to the Corin- 
thians, he directs that, on the first day of the week, every one 
should lay by in store as God had prospered him, that there should 
be no gatherings when he came. These passages prove, that the 
change of the day, from the seventh to the first, was a settled mat- 
ter with the apostles ; but the Jews, who were very much attached 
to the "old paths," as was very natural and very proper, were slow 
to make the change, and it is probable that, for a time, both da)'s 
were observed, — but that ihey should not be left in the dark on this 
point, Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews, takes up the subject, 
and shows, from the scriptures, that this change was according to 



1« 

the oracles which had been committed unto them. His argument 
is found in the 4th chapter: — *•' For he spake in a certain place of 
the seventh day on this wise, and God did rest the seventh day from 
all his works, and in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest; 
seeing, therefore, it remaineth that some must enter therein, and 
they to whom it was first preached, entered not in because of unbe- 
lief; again, he limiteth a certain day, saying, in David, (95 Psalm,) 
To-day, after so long a time, as it is said, to-day if ye will hear my 
voice, harden not your hearts ; for, if Jesus (Joshua) had given 
them rest, then would he not have spoken of another day; there re- 
maineth therefore, a rest [sabbatismos) to the people of God : for he 
that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works 
as God did from his." I need not add a word to the Apostle's argu- 
ment for this " keeping of a Sabbath'^ under the gospel ; the whole 
is complete in itself; but if any person desire to see more, they will 
find the subjects of this chapter discussed at length, in an exposition 
of the epistle to the Hebrews, by the learned John Owen, D. D. 

Thus we see that the Sabbath is an institution of God, of per- 
petual obligation ; that the seventh day was observed as a memorial 
of the finished work of creation ; that the change from the seventh 
to the first was, because **a greater work'' had been accomplished 
than creation ; and that this is to be observed in every age, in every 
clime, even until the end come. Let us now inquire what are the 
duties of this day ; the value which Jehovah places upon it; and 
what influence this holy day exerts upon mankind, when properly 
observed? — and what are the consequences when violated? Hear 
what the Lord saith by his Prophet Isaiah, 58 ch. 13, 14: — ''If thou 
turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on 
my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, 
honorable, and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor 
finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt 
thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon 
the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob 
thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." 

The word '* Sabbath" is a Hebrew word, and means ''rest." 
God calls it "the Sabbath." Men miscall, nickname it ''Sunday:" 
this was " the day" in which the sun was anciently worshipped. 
" Shall we, whose souls are lighted," employ such an epithet, and 
speak as if we were worshippers of the sun, and not of the true and 
living God ? The Sabbath is a day of rest; in it '*thou shalt not do 
any work ; thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man ser- 



13 

vant, nor thy maid servant, nor ihy cattle, nor thy stranger that is 
within thy gates.'' The duties of this day cannot be performed 
unless we rest ; but it is not enough that we, ourselves, rest from 
our ordinary avocations, but we are equally bound to see that all 
over whom we have control, also rest. Shall our servants be made 
to work on this holy day ? Shall not the day be observed by a ces- 
sation from all domestic employments? Alas! brethren, that our 
servants are treated as if they had no souls, and sometimes, as if fa- 
tigue was not a consequent upon labor. How often are two servants 
and two horses employed, with the carriage, to draw, in splendor, 
one person to the house of God, to remain at the door while this 
** humble worshipper" bows before the Most High? How many 
servants are engaged in preparing food as on other days? To them 
no Sabbath comes, to bless them with a release from their toil ; but 
often, very often, their labor is increased. My brethren; these 
things ought not so to be. Not only servants, but others are required 
to violate this day of rest. How many of our newspapers are 
printed on the Sabbath, in which those employed, habitually break 
this command of God ! — and not only there, but in **high places," 
igiabor is required, and required too, in the face of all that God hath 
said. I repeat the remark, that the duties of this day cannot be per- 
formed unless men rest; those who oblige others to work, must 
answer to God, while those who obey man rather than God, must 
reap the fruit of their doings. Let no one say, " spare thy servant 
in this little thing, that I spend one or two hours of the Sabbath in 
my secular business, attending to necessary work." What, if you 
die while engaged in this work of a few minutes, you die of unre- 
pented sin ; — and where will be your soul ! But that we may see 
this subject in the light of scripture, turn to the 15th chapter of the 
Book of Numbers : " while the children of Israel were in the wil- 
derness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath 
day :" this was what many would call "a little thing." But how 
did God deal with that Sabbath breaker, small as was his sin in 
our eyes ? '* The Lord said unto Moses, the man shall surely be put 
to death ; all the congregation shall stone him with stones without 
the camp; and all the congregation brought him without the camp, 
and stoned him with stones, and he died." With this admonition 
before us, who will require others to work on this day of rest? — who 
will incur the displeasure, the punishment of God ! We may here 
be asked, is no work to be done on the Sabbath ? Not as such — not 
as a business ; " it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day," to 



14 

relieve present distress or necessity; "if a sheep fall into a pit on 
the Sabbath, it is lawful to pull him out ;'' if a man's life be in dan- 
ger, '* it is lawful'' to save it; if his house be in flames, " it is lawful" 
to bring water and put out the fire. I need not enlarge, — the prin- 
ciple is plain. 

Being released from the labor, the toils of the six days, we then 
have an opportunity of engaging in the duties of the Sabbath: — this 
is a day for spiritual exercises — the soul's day, in which w« are to 
read, to meditate, to pray, to praise; '* the day which the Lord 
hath made," is to be spent in doing good and getting good — a day 
to preach the gospel — a day to hear the gospel preached — a day to 
remember the finished work of Christ, and to exercise the liveliest 
gratitude to Him who died for our sins, and rose again for our justi- 
fication — a day to forget earth and rise to heaven ; — how precious, 
on this day, is the Bible, the Sabbath school, the Sanctuary, the 
preached word! Our hearts may even burn within us as we talk 
with Jesus. Beloved friends, thank God for the Sabbath. How 
sweet, how precious this day that bringeth salvation to man! I would 
love here to dwell, or pass from this part of the subject to that as- 
sembly above, '* where congregations ne'er break up and Sabbath* 
never end," but duty requires me to notice some of the ways in 
which this day is profaned. This sin has filled the earth, — come see 
the desolations which it hath wrought. 

This day is trampled under foot, — is profaned by steamboats 
running to and fro; those employed sinning and making others to 
sin. Our public coaches, our mails, stop not when the day of rest 
appeareth ; our rail-road cars whirl along with the same fearful ve- 
locity on this day as on others ; our livery stables are attended, and 
<* horses to hire," become the occasion of sin to many of our be- 
loved young men. God sometimes, indeed, arises, as it were for a 
moment, and makes an awful example of some ; the soul, unwashed 
by atoning blood, is hurried away to the judgment — the survivors 
are appalled; — look, for a moment, but straightway forget what man- 
ner of persons they are. Our post offices are opened, and scores may 
be seen around them waiting, until the mails are assorted, that each 
may receive his own ; — what shall the end of these things be ! How 
many of our merchants spend a part of every Sabbath in their count- 
ing rooms? — how many despatch their vessels on this day of God? — 
what a multitude of men leave their native shores on this day, to 
return no more ! Poor sailor ! how my heart bleeds for thee ! — far 
from home and kindred dear, amid the howling storm and the fury 



15 

of the elements, he perishes, — no Angel voice to speak "peace;" 
no kind hand to tender salvation ; he is swept away,— the wave his 
only winding sheet, the abyss of waters his grave ! Our physicians, 
too, may profane this day ; and if there be any here this evening, I 
would respectfully present this subject to them : to attend the sick 
is the duty of all, the profession of a physician; but is it proper to 
attend to this, as a business, on this holy day? I submit the ques- 
tion without comment. The mechanic profanes this day by en- 
croaching upon its first hours, or by sending home his work, though 
it be at an early hour : " thou shalt not do any work ;" — but where 
shall I stop? I have named only a few of the many who are in this 
condemnation ; all who employ the hours, or any portion of the Sab- 
bath, in attending to ordinary business, seeking their own pleasure 
and amusement; who walk for past time or recreation, whatever may 
be the ostensible object, are guilty of this sin in the sight of God. 
" Lord cleanse thou us from secret faults." The only safe rule is 
that furnished by the Apostle, " whether therefore ye eat or drink, 
or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 

Let us now in conclusion, look at the influence which this insti- 
tution of God exerts upon mankind. Regarded merely as a day for 
the rest of the body, the Sabbath is one of the greatest blessings that 
God has given — were it not for this day, what season of repose 
would the laborer enjoy, his toils would press him down to the earth, 
the remuneration for his services would not be enhanced, he would 
soon wear out. What habits of cleanliness and comfort does not 
this day secure — to this day how much of the refinement of. life do 
we not owe ? Were no day of rest to arrive, mankind would every- 
where soon degenerate into barbarism, were this day stricken out, 
every comfort of civilized life would soon depart. 

To see more clearly the influence of the Sabbath look at the coun- 
tries or any section of the country where it is observed and compare 
the condition of the people with those who observe not this day of sa- 
cred rest. What did France become when she abolished this law of 
God? Look at Scotland and then at Spain, and at Portugal — or to 
come to our own beloved land, look at the people of New England 
and compare them with those of Louisiana, Mississippi — amongst 
the one the Sabbath is loved, revered, honored, obeyed; vvith the 
other, though there be many valuable people there, and many ex- 
ceptions to the remark yet the Sabbath is not counted holy unto the 
Lord — and what the consequence is 1 need not say. Why in our 
army, our navy docs vice prevail? Why arc soldiers, sailors, *'the 



15 

bulwark of the country,'^ generally wicked, dissolute men? because 
they have no Sabbath: it is a day of inspection, of parade, of labor 
and not a day of rest Let them, let all keep holy the Sabbath and 
soon throughout these United States, throughout the world would 
vice and iniquity be checked, and the glory of God cover the earth. 

Protracted as have been these remarks, I feel that the subject 
has been but begun, — I have given but little more than some of the 
great principles of the Sabbath; to say all that could be said, and 
well said, were to extend the subject far beyond the limits of one 
discourse; I have endeavoured to bring together some of the most 
important points in this blessed institution; and having done this, 
must leave the discussion. Brethren ! would we labour to make 
known the glad tidings of great joy, " Remember the Sabbath day 
to keep it holy.'' Would we exert an influence at home and abroad, 
let us sanctify this day, let us show by our obedience how much we 
love God and his Sabbath. 

Brethren, God has highly distinguished us — we live in the land 
of Sabbaths, of bibles, of civil and religious priviliges; '* where much 
is given much will also be required." How solemn to look back upon 
past Sabbaths and then forward to the coming judgment; how impor- 
tant the question, have we improved these Sabbaths ? What report 
have they borne to heaven; every seven years God affords a whole year 
of Sabbaths; <'how old art thou?" Some of us may have enjoyed 
years of Sabbaths; have they been filled up in doing good, in getting 
good; have they made us "more fit and meet for the masters use?" 
In the enjoyment of these do we grow in grace and in the know- 
ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? — Soon our days shall 
be numbered, we must go the way of all the earth, time with us 
shall be no more; may we all so live that death to us shall be the 
gate of endless joy, so that when the arch angel's trump shall sound 
we may have part in the first resurrection, and rise in the likeness of 
Jesus to be forever with him — 0! to mingle with that throng which 
no man can number — 0! to unite in that ascription, "unto him that 
loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and made us 
kings and priests unto God and his father, be glory and dominion 
forever and ever." Amen ! and Amen ! 












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